Oil-saver.



D. S. SHEHADY.

OIL SAVER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I3. 1918.

1,392,231 Patented Apr. 29, 191$).

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y5 DAVID 5. SEE 1::

5' OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

OIL-SAVER.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Apr. 29, 19219.

Application filed June 13, 1918. Serial No. 239,907.

This invention relatesto an oil saver for internal combustion engines and the like, and partlcularly to means for returning superfluous lubricating oil fromthe cylinis returned to the crank case.

ders to the crank case of the engine.

One of'the objects of the present invention is to provide a piston in which is formed a plurality of oil collectin grooves, said grooves adapted "to scrape 0T or remove any superfluous oil delivered to the cylinder by splash from'the crank case and in conjunction therewith to provide means for removing the oil collected in the piston grooves and returning the same to the crank case. Another object of the invention is to utilize the suction of the manifold for this purpose and also to employ a separating chamber for separating the oil from the air before it Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the combination, construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a standard form of internal combustion engine, showing the application of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of one of the engine cylinders showing the mannor of collecting and removing the oil therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the oil separator and collector.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates the cylinders of an internal combustion engine, 2 the intake manifold, 3 the crank case and 4;: the pistons, one of which is reciprocally mounted in each cylinder. Formed intermediate of the upper rings 5 on each piston and the lower ring 6 is a plurality of V-shaped oil collectin grooves 7. These grooves tend to scrape 0 any superfluous oil which may have been delivered to the cylinders and may therefore serve as annular pockets in which the oil may be collected,

Formed in the lower portion of each cylinder is an opening 8 which, in this instance,

is connected with a suction manifold 9. This manifold connects with each cylinder, as shown at 8 in Fig. 1, and the opposite end of the manifold is connected through a pipe 10 with an oil separating and collecting tank, shown at 11. This tank may be constructed in any suitable manner, being provided at the upper end with a head 12 and at the lower end with a drain pipe 13 in one end of which is mounted a check valve 14, while the opposite end connects with the crank case, as at 15. Also connected with the tank 11 is a suction pipe 16 which is connectpd with the inlet manifold 2, as shown at 1 In actual operation, with the engine running, it can be seen that each piston during its reciprocal movement will pass over the openings 8. The collecting grooves 7, during their passage by said openings, will empty themselves of oil due to the suction in the manifold 9. This oil enters through pipe 10 and is permitted to settle in the tank 11, the check valve 14 being closed as long as the engine is running, due to the constant vacuum or suction maintained within the tank through the pipeconnection 16 and the intake manifold 2. This check valve, however, opens the moment the engine stops as the vacuum or suction will immediately be relieved, thus permitting any oil collected to drain back or return to the crank case. In certain instances it happens that the lower end of each iston passes above the suction openings 8. his would permit air to enter the manifold 9 and tank 11 and would therefore be obviously detrimental as too much auxiliary air would be admitted to the manifold 2. p i

I To prevent this defect I provide a cover plate 20. This plate may be rigidly secured to the piston, but preferably hingedly mounted, as at 21, said plate being also held in frictional contact with the cylinder wall at all times by a. leaf spring 22, as shown in Fig. 2. This cover plate fits the interior surface of the cylinder, and, as the spring 22 holds it in contact, it can readily be seen that comparatively little leakage, if any, can take place through the openings 8 when the pistons assume'their uppermost positions. Oil only will therefore travel through the pipe 10 and enter the tank 11 as air is entirely excluded.

An oil saver of the character here described is preferably attaehed to engines,

employing a splash lubricating system. It may, however, be employed where other systems are used, but has proven of great utility in the first-named instance.

The device positively stops oil from pass ing by the uppernrings 5 into the combustion chamber. It therefore not only saves the quantity of oil that would otherwise escape, but it also prevents carbon deposits from being formed in the upper portion of the cylinder and in the heads. It also prevents the spark plugs from fouling and it furthermore tends to keep the valves clean. These features are a great advantage as the device not only keeps the motor cooler due to elimination of preignition, but it also saves fuel and obviously eliminates many troubles to which internal combustion eugines are subjected.

The exact shape of the oil collecting grooves 7 does not form an important feature of the present invention, nor does the construction or location of the oil separating and collecting tank make any difference.

I also wish it understood that the materials, finish and location of the several parts may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

It has been found that the device here shown when attached to certain types of engines collects such an amount of oil that the container 11 soon becomes filled, l have, therefore, provided a float 30, which rises as the oil collects. This float when reaching a certain position closes the valve 31. This valve closes the opening between the pipe 16 and the container, and therefore, immediately releases the vacuum, thus permitting the check valve 14 to open, and the oil collected to drain back to the crank case. The float 30 is slidably mounted on a rod 32. A collar 33 formed on the rod serves as a stop for the float, and it also serves the function of exerting a pull in a downwardly direction, which is sufiicient to move the valve 31 away from its seat, thus opening the con nection in the pipe 16 to permit the device to function as before described.

The action of the float 30 and the valve operated thereby is automatic, that is, over,- flowing of the container 11 is prevented, and the suction connection is automatically closed when the oil reaches a predetermined height or level, thus permitting the container to be automatically drained from time to time.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with the cylinder, the piston and the crank case in an internal combustion engine,vof means for removing and collecting the surplus oil delivered to the cylinder, and means connected with the intake manifold on the engine for removing the oil collected by suction and for returning the collected oil to the crank case.

2. The combination with the cylinder, the piston and the crank case in an internal combustion engine,of means for collecting the surplus oil delivered to the cylinder, means connected with the intake manifold on the engine for removing the oil collected by suction, a trap member connected with said suction means adapted to collect the oil, a connection between said trap member and the crank case, and means for intermittently discharging the oil collected in the trap through said connection to the crank case.

3. The combination with the cylinder, the piston and the crank case in an internal combustion engine of a plurality of oil collecting grooves formed on the piston adapted to remove and collect superfluous oil delivered to the cylinder and means connected with the intake manifold on the engine for removing the oil from the collecting ooves on the piston and returning it to the crank case.

4. The combination with the cylinder, the piston and the crank case in an internal combustion engine of means on the piston for removing and collecting superfluous oil delivered to the cylinder and means connected with the intake'manifold on the engine for removing the collected oil and returning it to the crank case.

5. The combination with the cylinder, the piston and the crank casein an internal combustion engine of means on the piston for removing and collecting superfluous oil delivered to the cylinder, an opening formed in the cylinder over which the piston passes during its reciprocal movement, a pipe connecting said opening with the intake manifold of the engine, a trap on said pi e line adapted to collect oil removed from t e piston and means for returning the oil from said trap to the crank case.

6. The combination with'the cylinder, the piston and the crank case in an internal combustion engine of a plurality of grooves formed in the piston intermediate the u per and lower iston rings, said grooves a apted to remove and collect superfluous oil delivered to the cylinder, an opening formed in the cylinder with which the grooves of the piston alternately register during the reciprocal movement of the piston, a pi 9 connecting said opening with the inta e manifold on the engine to remove the oil collected in the plston grooves, a tank mounted on the pipe line adapted to receive the oil removed, a pipe connecting the lower end of said tank with the crank case of the engine and a check valve in the bottom of Y aeoeneapermit the oil collected to drain hack to the crank case. l

7. lhe combination with the cylinder, the piston and the crank case in an internal combustion engine of a plurality of grooves formed in the piston intermediate the upper and lower piston rings, said grooves adapted to remove and collect superfluous oil delivered to the cylinder, an opening formed in'the cylinder with which the grooves of the piston alternately register during the reciprocal movement of the piston,'a pipe connecting said opening with the intake manifold on the engine to remove the oil collected in the piston grooves, a tank mounted on the pipe line adapted to receive the oil removed,'a pipe connecting the lower end of said tank with the crank case of the engine, a check valve in the bottom of the tank adapted to close while the engine is running to permit the oil to collect in the tank and to open when the engine stops to permit the oil c'ollt ted to drain back to the crank case and a cover plate attached to the lower end of the piston adapted to cover the opening in the cylinder when the piston passes above said opening,

8. The combination with the cylinder, the

piston and the crank case in an internal combustion engine of a plurality of grooves formed in the piston intermediate the upper and lower piston rings, said grooves adapted to remove and collect superfluous oil delivered to the cylinder, an opening formed in the cylinder with which the grooves of the piston alternately register during the reciprocal movement of the piston, a pipe connecting said opening with the intake manifold on the engine to remove the oil collected in the piston grooves, a tank mounted on the pipe line adapted to receive the oil removed, a pipe connecting the lower end of said tank with the crank case of the engine, a check valve in the bottom of the tank adapted to close while the engine is run- DAVID S SHEHALUY.

Witnesses:

M. A LYON,

- FT Hose ltnneroar. 

